big cuts in the pentagon and big tax hikes. the white house, from all indications that i've seen, they don't want that to happen. they are scared of what could happen to the markets. >> why aren't they dalg dealing with boehner? dana, be go ahead. jumpb in here. >> i think they won their negotiating power once boehner last week failed. as dana pushed out, the only thing that can get boehner is to do something. >> reporter: i think that you're right when i said that democrats don't think that the president will have much political damage. that does seem to be coming more from democrats here in congress than in the white house. democrats here in congress feel that it's a win-win for them politically. the one thing i will tell you very quickly, the pushback on this narrative that i heard from senate republican leader in the hallway. he said, do you remember who the speaker was during the hoover administration? i said, no. he said, that's my point. nobody will remember who the speaker was if ge into a recession but it's the preside